In an interview, he said that exposure to computers was particularly damaging to boys, harming their long-term development.
Far too many children, and particularly boys, become quite addicted to computer use, he said.
He said parents should resist buying sons and daughters a smartphone until they are at least 15 and limit computer use to an hour or two a day.
He also said computer use should be limited to one hour a day for children aged up to 12 and two hours for older pupils.
I thought it was a good idea to encourage my grandson to learn computers.
At 2 years old he played Mixed-Up Mother Goose, then LEGO construction, etc.
Now nearly 20 years old, gaming is his life. Gaming IS life.
He has a full-time job, filling online orders.
When work is over he will spend every waking hour sitting in front of endless online games.
No social life at all, aside from online conversations while gaming.
And any request to help around the house is viewed as a huge infringement on their "real life", online.
I think of all the hours I spent on a bike, running with friends, playing football, baseball would so boring compared to gaming for these kids.
My experience tells me that the best course is to limit the time kids spend in the virtual world.
1 hour is really an eternity to a kid, and maybe that's too long.
Edited by Rogerdodger, 03 January 2012 - 12:15 PM.